Lantern



C. L. COBB LANTERN Filed Juhe 2. 1923 Oct. 23, 1924. 1,513,533

1 C. L. COBB LANTERN Filed June 2, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 28, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE.

CLARENCE L. COBB, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN LIPSCHUTZ,

OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY.

LANTERN.

Application filed June 2.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that CLARENCE L. Gone, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lanterns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electric lantern, and especially to a signal lantern adapted for use by railroad conductors, brakemen and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify lanterns of the character described, and especially to provide a. lamp-shaped artistic container for the reception of a plurality of dry batteries, one or more incandescent lamps and a switch mechanism for controlling circuits through the batteries and lamps; further to provide a simple, substantial interior structure whereby the several parts of the mechanism employed may be readily assembled and secured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a duplex battery and lamp system to positively guard against the failure to get a light when one is required, and furthermore to provide a switch mechanism which is so connected with the plural batteries and lamps that either battery or lamp, or all of the same, may be operated at one time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a color screen or sleeve which is adapted to cover or uncover the lamps, thus eliminating the necessity of additional lanterns as colored lights or lamps when flagging or signalling.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for locking the color sleeve in position as will hereinafter be described.

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which .Fig. 1. shows the complete lamp in side elevation.

Fig. 2 illustrates the same in vertical cross-section,--the section being taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8. shows a vertical sectional detail through the shell which carries the switch devices and the lamp-sockets.

Fig. 4. illustrates another vertical section 1923. Serial-N0. 642,972.

throughv the same. parts,-the section however being taken 011 the line H of Fig. 3. Fig. 5. shows the shell in top view. Fig. 6. illustrates the detached lamp contact-plate view. g

Fig. 7. shows a sectional detail to illustrate the engagement of. the battery-"and lamp contacts. 7

Fig. 8. illustrates a diagrammatic wiring diagram, and I Fig. 9. shows the two switch disks detached.

Referring to the drawingsthe numeral 10 designates a cylindrical container having a circular closure or cap 11 at one end thereof which may readily be removed to permit access to be gained to the interior of the container. In this instance it will be presumed that the axis of the container is horizontally disposed, although it is shown by broken lines in Fig. l of the drawing that the container may be carried with the axis thereof extending vertically. Depending from the circular wall of the container andpreferably midway between its opposite ends there is a collar or shell 12 whose lower end 13 is providedwith screw. threads. This shell-is permanently attached to the container wall and its interior communicates with the interior of said container, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Y y

A wire base 14, is attached to the shell 12, and forms a support or stand for the lamp. On the interior of the container 10 there is provided a fiat plate 15 of insulating material which plate extends longitudinally of the container and forms a battery chamber 16 in the container at one side of the plate. The plate 15, see Fig. 6 of the drawings, has a central opening 17, and on its upper, or its battery-chamber side, said plate carries a central contact plate. 18,. which bridges or curves over the central opening 17 and is also provided with side con-,

tact plates 19 and 20 respectively. The

purposes of these contact plates 18, 19 and,

20 will presently be more fully explained.

Directly beneath the plate 15 there is provided a cup 21 having an annular up-stand-- ing flange 22 around its upper end.

This flange 22 has a plurality of tangs 23 at its upper edge which latter project up,- wardly through segment-slots 24 that are. provided in the plate and these tangs are bent over and clinched on the upper side of the plate thereby pendantly supporting the cup beneath the plate.

By referQIlGe to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the depending cup 21, is located centrally in the collar or shell 12.

This cup 21 contains switch and contact devices together with the sockets for the incandescent lamps and by reference, particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings these features will now be described.

A partition, preferably of insulating material such as a fibre 25, is provided in the cup, and this partition is provided with a central opening 26. To this partition I attach two spring arms 27 and 28 each of which extends down beneath and curves forwardly under the central opening 26. The lower free end of the arm 27 has two spaced flanges 29 which support a roller contact 30 while the free end of the arm 28 also has two spaced flanges '31 which sustain a roller contact 32.

It is therefore to be understood that the arms 2 7-and its roller contact 30 and the arm 28 and its roller contact 32 are electricallyv separated and that each forms a separate and distinct contact from the other.

At the lower end of the cup 21, I provide a filler of insulating material '33 and in this filler there are suitably held, two lampsockets 34 and 35, in which lamps 36 and 37 respectively are screwed. These lamps pass through openings 38 that are provided in the bottom of the cup.

From the lamp-socket 35 a wire 39 extends to and connects with the spring arm 28 while from the lamp-socket 34 there extends a wire 40 which connects with the spring arm 2?. This means that lamp-socket 35 has a connection (wire 39) which leads to the roller-contact 32 while the lamp-socket 34 has a connection (wire 40) which leads to the roller-contact 30.

In addition to these connections the lamp 3'? has a connection by Wire 41 which leads to and connects with the contact plate 20 on plate 15, while lamp 36- is connected by a wire 42 with the contact plate 19 on said 1 plate 15. 1

Above the partition 25, there is provided a horizontal shaft 43, which latter extends through the flange 22 and has bearing therein and a cross-bar 44, extending across the cup and on top of the partition affords additional bearing for said shaft 43, which latter extends therethroug'h.

This shaft carries two spaced-apart disks 45 and 46 as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawing, and these disks revolve in a vertical plane. The lower portions of these disks extend down through the opening 26 in the partition and the disk 45., has position over the roller 30 while the disk 46 is located over the roller 32. These disks 45 and 46 have a metallic connection with the shaft 43, and, together with the shaft, serve as conductors in forming electric circuits as will presently be more clearly explained.

The disk 45, which is of metal, has a series of peripheral notches 47 and 48,the notches 47 being shallower than the notches 48 therein. At one side of this metal disk there is another disk of insulating material, such as fibre 49, and this libre disk also has peripheral notches 47 and 48*. These two disks and are riveted together and the notches 47 and 47 of the two disks are arranged side-hy-side while the notches 48 and 48 are also arranged side-by-side.

By reference to the disk 45 in Fig. 9 of the drawing it will be noted that the shallow notch 47 of the metal disk is arranged at the side of a deeper notch 47 in the insulating disk so that the metal of disk 45 will be exposed at said notches 4?47 while the deeper notches 48 of the metal disk are arranged at the sides of the shallower notches 48 of the insulating disk 49, so that the insulating disk-edge be exposed at the notches 48*.

in other words, the periphery of the metal disk 45 is exposed only at the notches 4'? of which there are two in this instance.

The disk 46 is also of metal and at one side thereof there is a disk 50 of insulating material and these disks 46 and 50 are also riveted together.

The disk 46 notches 51 and 52, the notches 51 being shallower than the notches 52. The insulating disk 50 also has notches 51 and 52 of which the notches 51 are deeper than the notches 52. These deeper notches 51 of the insulating disk 50 therefore are arranged to coact with the shallower notches 51 of the metal disk so as to expose the periphery of metal disk at the notches 51, but expose the periphery of the insulating disk at the notches 52 It is therefore to he understood that the two sets of disks 45 49 and 4650 are arranged in spaced-apart relation on the shaft 43 and that the periphery of each metal disk 45*46 is exposed for contact at two points only throughout their entire periphery and that is the two notches 47, in disk 45 and at the two notches 51 in the disk 46, and at all other places the periphery of the insulat- 1 ing disks will be exposed.

These disks are so positioned on the shaft 43 that they will extend down through the central opening 26 in the partition 25 and their lowermost edge will engage and ride over the contact rollers 30 and 32, when the shaft 43 is turned.

it is to be understood that the disks 45- 49 will engage contact roller 30 while the disks 46 5O ride over and engage the contact roller 32.

has a series of peripheral As contact roller is connected to lampsocket 34 of lamp 30-by wire and spring arm 27, and disks 49 engage that contact roller 30, it follows that said disks 45- 49 are to control the electric circuit for lamp 36.

In a like manner it will be understood that as contact roller 32 is connected to lamp socket 35 of lamp 37 by wire 39 and spring arm 28, and disks 46-50 engage said roller 32, said latter disks 4650 will control the electric circuit for lamp 37.

It is therefore to be understood that shaft 43, is a switch-shaft and is operated by a head 53 on its outer end which may readily be turned by the fingers of a person, and when so turned, will cause the disks 4549 and 46-50 to rotate in contact with the rollers 3032,the latter seating in the successive notches in the periphery of the disks as the latter turn.

It is important to understand the relative positions of the notches 4747 on one pair of disks 45-49 with respect to theno-tohes 51-51 on the other pair of disks 4650.

.These two sets of disks 45-49 and 4650 are so positioned on the shaft 43 that the notches in the two sets of disks will be arranged in horizontal alinement, but this does not mean that both shallow notches 47 of disk 45 are in horizontal alinement with both shallow notches 51 of disk 46 for this is not the case. i

It is to be understood that the electric circuit is only complete through lamp 36 when one or the other of the two metal edge notches 47 of disk 45, engages the contact roller 30, and that in a like manner the electric circuit through lamp 37 will only be closed -when one or the other of the two metal edge notches 51 of disk 46 engages contact roll- WVith this understanding it follows that if the two disks 45 and 46 are so placed on the shaft 43 that one metal edge notch 47 of one disk and one metal edge notch 51 of the other disk will be opposite each other and in alinement so that one of those meta-l edge notches 47 will engage roller 30 while the other of those metal edge notches 51 will engage the contact roller 32, then with the two disks 45 and 46 in this described position the circuits through both lamps 36 and 37 will be closed and consequently both of said lamps will be simultaneously illuminated. This condition prevails at only one point in the circumference of the two disks so that at one point. in the revolution of the shaft and disks both lamps will be illuminated.

If it be presumed that the two disks 45- 46 shown in Fig. 9 are mounted on a single shaft side-by-side and that the notches 47 and 51 at the points X are in alinement and that the two disks are to be given apa-rtial.

rotation, in the direction of the darts, the

distance of the movement being from the notch X to the next notch at the-left, then the next notch on each disk will present insulating surfaces to engage the rollers 30 and 32 so that no current willflow; upon making another partial rotation a fibre edge will engage roller 30 while a metal edge 51 will engage roller 32 so that in this position lamp 37 only will burn; the next par tial movement will again present two fibre edges to the rollers 30 and 32 so that neither lamp will burn; the-n on the next movement metal edge notch 47 of disk 45, will engage roller 30 while a fibre edge will engage roller 32 and in this instance lamp 36 only will be illuminated, and upon the next partial rotation of the disks both rollers will be engaged by fibre edges so that current will again be cut off and neither lamp will burn. lit is also to be understood that the fibre disks 49 and 50' are slightly larger in diameter than the metal disks 45-46 and that as the disks are being turned the fibre edges will engage the two rollers 30+32 so that no current can pass while the disks are moving from one notch to the other.

From the foregoing explanation it is to be understood that during a revolution of the shaft 43, the disks 45-46 which serve as switches, will operate to close the circuits through both lamps; will close the circuit through one lamp; will close the circuit through the other lamp and will cut off both contact 18 on the plate 15 which contact,

plate has its ends inder 10. I

In further carrying out my invention .1 make use of a special battery 54, which forms the subject of a separate application for patent executed by me simultaneously herewith, wherein two side contacts 55 and in contact with the. cyl-c 56 and a center return contact 57 are employed,the structure being such that ,cur-

rent may be supplied by eitherorboth-side contacts, so as to illuminate one or both lamps 36 or 37, and the return being by the common contact 57, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing.

Another feature of my invention resides in the use by me of a novel means for producing a colored illumination without the necessity of changing'th-e lamp bulbs. This feature will now be explained, reference being made to Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

A globe of glass 58,,has its upper open night with the lamp,

y and one end of carried by the-cylinder 10 projects,

end screwed into the lower end 13 of the shell 12, and depends below the cup 21 and the lamps carried thereby.

Around the cup 21,1 place a cylinder 59 of a colored material that will permit light rays to pass therethrough, and this cylinder is ofa length whereby, when it is in the lowermost position and resting upon the bottom of the globe 58, as shown in Fig. 2, its upper end will have position above the lamps 36'37 so that when the cylinder is in the lowered position the light rays from the lamp' or lamps will pass through the colored cylinder and give a light corresponding to the color of the. cylinder. The cylinder 59 being: open at the bottom will permit the light rays: to pass from the open end and: thus give a white light so that if a flagman is walking along the traclrway at V the colored screen will providethe proper signal: light but the rays from the bottom being white will provide sullicient illumination on theground to per mit him to see where he is walking.

The cylinder 59 is of a diameter that will enable it to freely encircle the cup 21 so that by reversing t'he lamp the cylinder may be moved to a point about the cup, as shown inFig. h'where itwill completely uncover both lamps- 36-37;

To hold the cylinder 59' in the elevated position, I have provided a clamp device, which in this instance, has the formof a rod 60 which extends. through the shaft 48 which rod passes through and has bearing in the flange 22 of the cup. This: latter end of the rod extends; dowm wardly and then turns backwardl-y toward the cup in the form of a clamp-hook 61 so that said clamp-hook may press-against the side of the colored cylinder or screen 59 and holdthe same inthe elevated-positioni The rod 60- carries a cross-pin 62 and a coiled spring 63 encircles the rod between the cross-pin and theflange 22 of the cup whereby to yieldingly press the rod in a direction to keep the hook 61: against the cylinder.

As the rod extends throughthe shaft 43, a slight lateral push on the head 53'at'the outer end of the shaft willmove-the samesufliciently to cause'its inner end to engage the pin 62, and move rod 60 slightly and thus release the colored cylinder so the latter can drop down into the globe 58 as'in Fig. 2.

Rotation of the rod 60 is prevented byproviding a pin 64 that projects from the side: of-the cup and passes through a perforation in the clown-turned end of the rod.

A bail or wire handle 65 has one end pivoted to one side of the cylinder 10 while its other end has a flattened portion 6d through whicha-threaded stem 67 that is and a wing-nut 68 ena bles the end of the handle to; be held on the stem.

in case it is desired to prevent the handle from swinging a pin 69 is provided on the side of the cylinder so l t-can enter a perforation 70 in the flat end of the handle as the wing-nut is screwed home.

Having described myinve-ntion, what l claim is 1. In an electric lantern the combination with a container of a battery in the con tainer, an incandescent lamp,-a rotary switch means to control. connections between the battery and lamp, a transparent cylinder encircling-the lampa'n'd arranged tobe raised or lowered with respect to said lamp and means" extending through and movable with respect to the rotary switch means to hold the transparent cylinder in one ofits two positions;

2. In an electric lantern the combination with a. container, of a: battery in the conta-iner, an incandescent lamp, arotary switch device including a hollow shaft to control connections between the battery and lamp, a transparent cylinder encircling the lamp and arranged to-: be raised or lowered with respect to said lamp, and means extending through the hollow shaft of the rotary switch device and movable therein to hold thetransparent cylinder in one of its two positions.

3. A signal lantern comprising a container, anopen frame base portion adapted to support the container, a lamp holder on the container and projecting into the open frame base portion said holder being arranged for-the reception of an incandescent lamp, a globe enclosing the incandescent lamp,atransparent colored cylinder in the globe andsupported by'the globe, when the cylinder is in its lowered position, so asto encircle the lamp, a battery in the container, a. switch adapted to close acircuit between the lamp and the battery and means for holding the cylinder when it is unsupported by the globe.

l. A signal lantern comprising a container, a wire base for said" container, a pair of incandescent lamps-secured on the lower end of thecontainer within the. wire base, a protecting globe surrounding said incandescent lamps, a plurality of battery connections carried within the container, a switch member within the container adapted to close a circuit through either or both of the incandesoent lamps, a. transparent colored cylinder surrounding the incandescent lamps and adapted to be raised and'lowered with relation to the same, and means for locking the cylinder in its raised'position.

5. A signal lantern comprising a container, a wire base for said container, a pair of incandescent-lamps secured onthe lower end of the container withinthewire' base, a protecting globe surrounding said incandescent lamps, a battery within the container, a switch member within the container adapted to close a circuit through either or both of the incandescent lamps, a transparent colored cylinder surrounding the incandescent lamps and adapted to be raised and lowered with relation to the same, said cylinder being guided by a lamp base and the interior of the protecting globe, and means for locking the cylinder against movement.

6. In a lantern of the character described, the combination with a container, of a plate in the container, a cup carried by the plate, an incandescent lamp supported by the cup, a protecting globe enclosing the cup and the incandescent lamp, a colored transparent cylinder adapted to normally surround the cup and adapted tobe guided thereby, said cylinder also adapted to be guided by the interior surface of the protecting globe, said cylinder being vertically movable with relation to the protecting globe and the cup, and means carried by the cup for securing the cylinder against vertical movement.

7. In a lantern of the character described, the combination with a container, of a plate in the container, a cup carried by the plate, an incandescent lamp supported by the cup, a protecting globe enclosing the cup and the incandescent lamp, a colored transparent cylinder adapted to normally surround the cu and adapted tobe guided thereby, said cylinder also adapted to be guided by the interior surface of the protecting globe, said cylinder being vertically movable with relation to the protecting globe and the cup, a rod slidably mounted in the upper end of the cup, a projection on said rod adapted to engage the cylinder and clamp it with relation to the cup, a spring engaging the rod and adapted to exert a pressure in one direction and a projecting end on the rod adapted to be manually operated to release the cylinder with relation to the rod and cup.

8. In a lantern the combination with a cylindrical container, of a shell depending from the cylindrical wall of the container,

a glass globe detachably connected to the tions.

9. In an electric lantern the combination with a cylindrical container, of a shell extending from the circular side of the container between the ends of the latter and with its axis in a direction at right angles to the axis of the container, an open frame base attached to the shell and arranged to support the container with its axis in a horizontal plane, a globe attached to the shell and depending within the open frame base and with its axis at right angles to the axis of the container, a lamp carried in the globe, an insulator plate extending longitudinally in the container, contacts on said plate to connect with battery contacts, a rotary switch. device operating between the lamp and said contacts, connections between the lamp and switch and connections between the switch and said contacts.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARENCE L. COBB. 

